Reggie Jackson vs Rusty Staub: Career Stats Comparison
Reggie Jackson has the better career line of the two, leading 9 of the 14 statistical categories compared on this page. Reggie Jackson played 1967–1987 as a hitter; Rusty Staub played 1963–1985 as a hitter.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
Reggie Jackson (1967–1987) and Rusty Staub (1963–1985) — both broke in during the 1960s, which makes the head-to-head feel like a contemporaries' debate. Reggie Jackson finished with 2,584 hits and 563 home runs; Rusty Staub finished with 2,716 hits and 292 home runs. Below is the full career table, PIV adjustment, peak seasons, and a verdict.
Quick answer
- Who hit more home runs? Reggie Jackson, with 563 to Rusty Staub's 292.
- Who had the higher OPS? Reggie Jackson, with .846 to Rusty Staub's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average? Rusty Staub, with .279 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits? Rusty Staub, with 2,716 to Reggie Jackson's 2,584.
- Who drove in more runs? Reggie Jackson, with 1,702 to Rusty Staub's 1,466.
- Who has the higher career PIV? Reggie Jackson, with 41,801 career PIV to Rusty Staub's 30,346.
- Who won more championships? Reggie Jackson, with 5 World Series titles to Rusty Staub's 0.
Reggie Jackson
Rusty Staub
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate for Reggie Jackson and Rusty Staub. Cells highlighted in green mark the category leader. Counting stats reward longevity, and strikeouts are left unmarked because a longer career accumulates more of them. Rate stats are not era-adjusted -- a .305 in 1965 and a .298 in 2001 came out of very different run environments -- so read them against their eras, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Reggie Jackson | Rusty Staub |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 2,820 | Leads: 2,951 |
| At-Bats | Leads: 9,864 | 9,720 |
| Runs | Leads: 1,551 | 1,189 |
| Hits | 2,584 | Leads: 2,716 |
| Doubles | 463 | Leads: 499 |
| Triples | Leads: 49 | 47 |
| Home Runs | Leads: 563 | 292 |
| RBI | Leads: 1,702 | 1,466 |
| Walks | Leads: 1,375 | 1,255 |
| Strikeouts | 2,597 | 888 |
| Stolen Bases | Leads: 228 | 47 |
| Batting Avg | .262 | Leads: .279 |
| On-Base % | .356 | Leads: .362 |
| Slugging % | Leads: .490 | .431 |
| OPS | Leads: .846 | .793 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Reggie Jackson outpaces Rusty Staub 41,801 to 30,346 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (1,991 vs 1,264 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by OPS among qualified workloads (300+ at-bats).
Reggie Jackson — top 3 seasons by OPS
Rusty Staub — top 3 seasons by OPS
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Reggie Jackson leads in home runs, RBI, runs, and stolen bases, while Rusty Staub owns hits, batting average, and OBP. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Reggie Jackson. PIV agrees: Reggie Jackson grades out higher across their careers. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Reggie Jackson vs Rusty Staub: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Reggie Jackson or Rusty Staub?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Reggie Jackson leads Rusty Staub in 9 of 14 categories.
- Did Reggie Jackson or Rusty Staub hit more home runs?
- Reggie Jackson, with 563 to Rusty Staub's 292.
- Who had the higher OPS?
- Reggie Jackson, with .846 to Rusty Staub's .793.
- Who had the higher batting average?
- Rusty Staub, with .279 to Reggie Jackson's .262.
- Who had more hits?
- Rusty Staub, with 2,716 to Reggie Jackson's 2,584.